Muivah doesn’t rule out “one to one” interaction with NSCN-Khaplang

By Sanjay Kumar New Delhi, June 4 (ANI): Adding another dramatic twist to factional clashes, confrontation and reconciliation in Ngaland, the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isac-Muivah) General Secretary, Thuingaleng Muivah has not ruled out a one to one interaction with the Khaplang faction for the greater cause of “Naga unity”. In an exclusive interview with ANI, Muivah ,who has been in New Delhi for the last one month in connection with Naga peace talks, accepted the recent reports of the NSCN(IM) Chairman Isac Chisi Swu’s telephonic interaction with the NSCN(K) Chairman S S Khaplang sometime ago. For the first time in the last twenty years the two rival factions have established any sort of communication. When asked by ANI whether this interaction is a sign of the two groups coming to some sort of understanding in future,Muivah said there is no harm in hoping for “something positive.” “It is hard to say but there is no wrong for one to expect something positive. But the point is, if we can come to that very point that we have to stand for the right of the Nagas then only it is possible”, said Muivah. When asked whether he is thinking of establishing one to one contact with Khaplang with whom he fell out in 1988, the General Secretary of the NSCN said “that can’t be ruled out”. The talks between two bitter rivals come in the backdrop of the recent escalation of the factional clashes in Nagaland which has claimed more than fifty lives in the last two months. The recent clashes started after November 23 last year when a section of Naga insurgents led by Azheto Chophy of the NSCN(IM) and and C. Singson of the NSCN (K) signed a ‘Joint Declaration’ at Niuland near Dimapur, which claimed that the two warring factions are being united. The new group, reportedly stationed at Vihokhu near Dimapur town, seeks to unite all Naga insurgent groups for the common cause. In its view, Muivah has been an obstacle to the unification of Nagas. According to Muivah the contact with NSCN(K) faction came to be established only when “Mr.Khaplang has made his position clear that the so called unification is not for the unification” and both of us agree that “we don’t have any thing do with the unification”. Muivah, however, added that “they (IM and K group) have understood each other to some extent. But the telephonic conversation say for one time, is not sufficient to bring out the correct understanding between them”. NSCN (IM) leader termed the Azheto Chophy led Unification group as “traitor and traitors traders can’t influence the cause of history; it is the people who will decide their destiny everywhere”. The NSCN(K)was formed on April 30, 1988, consequent to an assassination attempt on the General Secretary of what emerged as the rival outfit NSCN (IM) Thuingaleng Muivah. Clannish divisions among the Nagas (Konyaks and Tangkhuls) were the primary reason behind the split of the NSCN in 1988. The Konyaks formed the NSCN-K under the leadership of Khole Konyak and S S Khaplang. The Tangkhul faction, the NSCN-IM (Isak-Muivah), was led by Isak Chisi Swu and T. Muivah. (ANI)